We Should Tell You
by incendiary-wit
Summary: Mark and Roger decide to tell their friends. MarkRoger


Disclaimer: Heavily influenced by and using some lines from "One on One" by the wonderful kmc1. Characters belong to Jon Larson.

"I want to tell them."

His voice had an air of finality to it. Like this was the end to a long novel, or at least likely months, if not years of deciding.

"Since when?"

"Since this started," Roger tilted Mark's head until they were looking in each other's eyes, "since we fell in love, since the first night we made love, since a million yesterdays."

"Are you sure?" Something flickered in the blue that made Roger want to smile and wince at the same time.

"I brought it up, I should be," Roger replied to Mark's whisper.

Mark suddenly seemed very focused on counting the couch's threads, "Your attention has been known to wander."

Roger laughed, "What am I, a raven? Distracted by shiny objects?"

A small voice answered, "You were distracted by April, smack, and Mimi." Mark turned his body away.

Roger sucked in a deep breath, "Those…were a long time ago. Biggest regret I-"

"Forget regret or life is yours to miss," Mark softly sang.

Smiling, Roger revised his statement, "I wished I'd had this with you sooner. For longer. Biggest mistake." He looked at Mark's back, thinking how there was a centimeter of Mark that didn't turn him on and put his arms around the smaller man from behind.

"Huge?" Mark looked up and smiled at Roger.

"Of colossal proportions." It was still strange to Roger that, affectionately referred to as human Tupperware, could need so much reassurance. He must give all his away to his friends and Roger knew he took a lot for himself. "And whether we tell them or not, I'm never leaving. Until god himself smites me down, I won't leave you."

Mark laughed and turned around in Roger's embrace, "I won't let him."

"So this is obviously forever. It's nice to know I get to die loving you. If it were up to just me, I'd shout from the rooftop how much I love you, how happy you've made me. But it's not just me, this involves you too."

"I think Maureen's being betting Collins how long it takes before I come out of the closet, you might as well get in on the action soon and make us some money. Take me out on a real date," Mark grinned and gently elbowed Roger in the ribs.

Roger smiled, then bit his lip, "I can't promise I won't say something stupid and-"

"I won't let you."

Roger's laugh was short and bitter, "You couldn't stop me from going to Santa Fe. I jumped off that cliff all by myself."

"You were upset…and you came back. Just…talk to me, talk to Collins, talk to someone when you need to. Promise?"

"I promise, do you promise?" Roger's laugh this time was just as short, but much happier.

Mark nodded, "I can't promise it will be easy, but I'm never giving up on us. Ever."

"Then that's all I need. So, if your decision was based on the longevity of the relationship, what do you say?"

Mark smiled at Roger and buried his face into the crook of the songwriter's neck. "Who do we tell first?"

Roger smiled, "I was thinking Maureen."

The filmmaker pulled away and headed towards the phone, "Do you have to be a doctor to have someone committed?"

"What's wrong with Maureen?"

"Roger, if Maureen had been alive during World War II, we'd all be goose-stepping through Times Square. She can't keep a secret to save her life. You know that as well as I do." Mark sat back down next to Roger.

The taller man nodded, "Yes, but," he grinned, "since she's your ex you have to tell her and I can hide behind her and make funny faces and/or catch her when she faints."

"I tell Maureen, you tell Mimi."

Roger sucked in a breath, "You drive a hard bargain, Cohen." He smiled and kissed Mark sweetly, "Deal."

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"Maureen, can I talk to you?"

"You betcha. Pull up a seat and start chatting."

"Um," Mark looked at Joanne with an apologetic attempt at a smile, "in private?"

Joanne stood, "No need to be subtle, Mark. I'll be back in five minutes, if you two are making out, I'll castrate you," she pointed a finger at Mark, "and punish you severely," she poked at Maureen.

The actress giggled, "Maybe I'll make out with him just to be 'punished'."

Joanne winked at Maureen and left the room.

"Maureen, I…met someone…" Mark trailed off, determined to break this gently.

"Are you cheating on Roger? If you are, I swear they will search the country and never recover all your bloody body parts," Maureen put her hands on her hips and frowned.

"What? How…how do…what?"

Maureen sighed, "It's all in your body language. As touching and borderline cuddly as you two have been, it's increased. You catch each other's eyes and smile; make contact that isn't necessary...or in the least bit subtle. Plus, I caught you two making out on the couch."

Mark's mouth opened and closed several times before he squeaked out, "What?"

"I came in to drop off the spare key I finally found and you two were macking on the couch like a couple of horny teenagers." Maureen grinned and trilled, "Roger…mmm. Mark, what a wildcat, my wildcat. Uh, bite harder, Rog, oh move your hand faster. Yesssssssssss." She finished with a grin at Mark's horrified expression. "Did I break your brain or something?"

Mark snapped to attention, "You didn't tell anyone?"

"No."

"Not even Joanne?"

"Not even Joanne."

Mark half groaned and half laughed. "I'm impressed."

Maureen pouted, "You should be, it nearly killed me." Then she grinned, "Now that wasn't so hard. Go back to your lover-boy now. Oh, and Mark?"

"Yes, Maureen?"

Maureen grinned, "Can I tell Joanne now?"

Mark rolled his eyes and shouted, "Joanne, I fuck Roger! That is all."

Joanne poked her head in, "What!"

Mark pointed to himself, "I," he thrust his hips a few times, "have consensual, sweaty, hot sex," Mark pretended to play a guitar, "with Roger."

Joanne made a very strange thump as she fainted.

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"Meems babe, we need to talk," Roger said, gesturing for her to sit on the couch.

"Am I too late for the tears, screams, and propositions?" Mark said as he breezed in the door, grinning widely. He sat next to Roger.

Roger blinked at the bubble of cheeriness that was Mark, "Not yet."

Mimi sensed something weird was going on and leaned forward, "All right. What's going on? Spill, Davis." She emphasized each word with a poke in Roger's chest. She stood and towered over the sitting men.

Roger looked up and prepared for his execution, saying, "I met someone."

The Latina's eyes welled up with tears, 'How could you not tell me about her until now? I thought we were friends."

"We are-OW!"

Mimi commenced smacking Roger upside the head, "Who is she?"

Roger put his hands over his head, "I didn't one person could be the good cop and the bad cop!"

Mark was nearly crying, holding in his laughter until Mimi whirled on him. "AND YOU! I know you know! You're his best friend, you know everything. Who is she?"

Roger took Mimi gently by the shoulders and guided her back to the couch. He looked her straight in the eye, "Meems, did I ever say it was a 'she'?"

"Oh…OH! You're gay?" Mimi leapt up and hugged Roger.

"I wasn't before. Guess I just met the right guy," Roger risked a quick smile over to Mark.

Mimi sat down heavily, "He must be some guy."

Roger nodded, "He's been my best friend for a long time."

"But I thought Mark was…" Mimi trailed off as she understood what Roger was saying. "And you're just now telling me?

Roger took her hands in his, "We didn't know who to trust."

"I don't know what to say."

Mark grinned, "That may be a first."

Mimi looked up, mock-scolding in her tone, "Don't think that just because you have the best boyfriend in the world, you have license to mock me. Got that, Cohen?"

Mark nodded, grinning widely, "Gotcha, Mimi."

Roger looked from Mark to Mimi, "You okay with this, Meems?"

"Are you two, like, dating?"

Roger shrugged, "We're not exactly sure of the terminology, but that's as close as we can figure."

Mimi rose and hugged both of them, "Can I tell Benny?"

"Can we stop you?"

"Not a chance." Mimi was gone in a flash of curls and perfume.

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The next day, Benny was visiting when he said, "Mimi told me about you two."

"Big mouth," Roger said affectionately.

"I feel I should tell you, I already knew."

Mark sighed and plopped unto Roger's lap, "What are we, exhibitionists?"

Roger sweetly kissed Mark's forehead, "I'm starting to think so. How'd you find out?"

"I saw you two kissing on the street last week," Benny said, resisting the urge to 'aw' at their antics. "But now you have to return the discretion favor. Don't tell Mimi I knew."

"Otherwise, off with your head?" Roger motioned.

Benny looked at his lap, "One of them, yes. And I think it's great."

"What?" Mark asked, snuggling into Roger.

Benny grinned, "That you two finally figured it out."

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"So we tell Collins together?" Mark asked later that night as they lay in bed.

"Deal," Roger said, pulling Mark close.

"Great," Mark smiled.

Roger traced his finger over Mark's lips, "God, you are so hot."

Mark blushed, "Yeah?"

"Yeah, only reason I'm with you."

Mark grinned, "Good. If you were only with me for my mind, I'd feel cheap."

Roger smirked and ran a hand down Mark's back.

Mark bit back a gasp and arched into the touch. "I love you," he said softly.

"Was that a secret?" Roger asked.

Mark licked his lips, "No, but if you want, I could whisper it in your ear."

Roger closed his eyes. God, Mark could turn him on without even touching him. "I love you too."


End file.
